A Wee (large) Break at the 2/3rd's Mark

We're at the 2/3rd hour, 10 PM for me, and I've taken a really long break! Errands, dinner, some gaming, a few pages over that time, but not much.  I'm still working at it though, not ready to throw in the towel just yet!  I will definitely finish this one, and I'm hoping maybe another short one before calling it a night, we'll see.

I'm currently still working on I Am Mordred by Nancy Springer and enjoying it. If you can be said to enjoy the story of Mordred. This is told from his point of view, that really was not evil and was a tool of fate. Similar to how Marion Zimmer Bradley tells the Arthur story from Morgan Le Fay's point of view, where the typically evil character is the main character and lines between good and evil aren't so boldly scored.

In Process:
I Am Mordred - Nancy Springer - 105 pages so far 

Finished:
A Big Hand for the Doctor - Eoin Colfer - 46 pages
Something From the Nightside - Simon R. Green - 230 pages
The Nameless City - Michael Scott - 81 Pages


Total Pages: 462 (I'm almost to 500!)

A Little Smackeral and Goal #1 Achieved!

I've made my first goal of 350 total pages with the little Doctor Who #2 book in the picture, "The Nameless City."  That one was cute, never underestimate the fearsomeness of bagpipes!  Also it was time for a snack, coffee #2 Coconut Mocha, and a big ol' sugar cookie!

Finished:
A Big Hand for the Doctor - Eoin Colfer - 46 pages
Something From the Nightside - Simon R. Green - 230 pages
The Nameless City - Michael Scott - 81 Pages

Total Pages: 357

Next Stop, 500!

Eighth Hour

We're about 1/3 of the way through the day and I've finished Something from the Nightside! Go me! It was a fun and pretty quick read, I think Jim Butcher's blurb on the cover describes it perfectly: "A fast, fun little roller coaster of a story..."  It kept me interested and I'll keep going on the series.

I'm actually pretty proud of keeping focus and pretty much staying off the social media except to do updates and cheer on some fellow read-a-thoners. I have a feeling that will get harder as the day goes on.

Finished:
A Big Hand for the Doctor - Eoin Colfer - 46 pages
Something From the Nightside - Simon R. Green - 230 pages

Total Pages: 276

I'm not quite at my first level goal, which is 350 pages.  Next up is"The Nameless City" another quick Doctor Who adventure by Michael Scott, and I Am Mordred by Nancy Springer.  These two should get me to my second level goal of 500 no problem!

This is usually a hard time of day for me in the sleepy department, 3 pm is nap time!  Hopefully I can hold out!

Awake and Ready to 'Thon!

I've had a tasty breakfast burrito, and some coffee and I'm ready to get to it!

I knocked out a quick short story, "A Big Hand for the Doctor" by Eoin Colfer that is part of a 12 story collection, one for each doctor. This was for #1. I got the box set because each story has a cover showing that Doctor's signature outfit and I just thought they were cute, so there's #1's outfit to the left!  Here is the link on Amazon if you are so inclined.

I'm ready to dive into something a little longer, so I'm giving Something From the Nightside by Simon R. Green a try.

Finished:
A Big Hand for the Doctor - Eoin Colfer - 46 pages


Opening Meme:
1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?  Kansas, USA
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?  All of them really, I tried to pick books to fit my mood, rather than just for length this time.
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?  I have some Ben and Jerry's ice cream all ready for later!
4) Tell us a little something about yourself!  I'm an introverted Inventory Analyst who very nearly because an Archeologist instead!  Okay, not that nearly, but I've always love Archeaology, and studied it in college before my better sense too over and I chose something that probably suited me better.  I do still love reading about it though!
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?  I've lost count of how many of these Read-a-thon's I've done, but so far my nemesis seems to be getting too comfortable, so I've got a secret weapon this time.  If I start to get sleepy, I may try sitting on my stability ball, it forces your body to be actively keeping balance, and you have to be awake to do that!

Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon Kick Off - April 2015

Goooooood Mooooooorning Read-a-thoners!  We've made it!  The wait is over and the time to start reading is NOW!  I got a little bit of a late start, but I'm here now and ready to go!

I'm going to get some raspberry truffle coffee and some breakfast and dig into my first Doctor Who story "A Big Hand for the Doctor" by Eoin Colfer.

I'll see you all in a little while!

Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon Eve April 2015 Edition

Oh yeah! It's time for another Dewey's Read-a-thon, Spring 2015 Edition! I am super excited this round! I even did my nails for the occasion!

Here are my current choices to pull from, but I'm definitely a mood reader, so we'll see what happens!

I have a few Kindle books lined up as well. I will get nowhere close to finishing all of these, I just hope to finish a couple, but I've decided I'm going for page count this year instead of number of books read, so if I want to skip around, no biggie! It's very hard for me to stay focused on one book from beginning to end, I usually have several going at any one time.


Goal

Realistic = 350 pages   This is 7 times and more what I usually get read in one day, but should be pretty easy to do in a day devoted to reading.

Hopefully = 500 pages   I'll feel pretty good about this one.

Formidable = 750 pages   I'm not holding my breath.

Seriously?! = 1000 pages   Yeah, probably not, but weird things happen!


Good luck to everyone taking part!  An up front THANK YOU!! to all the cheerleaders and organizers that make this such an amazing event.  I can't wait to get started!

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by A. J. Hartley and David Hewson, Narrated by Richard Armitage

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by A.J. Hartley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Read it to me, Thorin Oakenshield! This was an excellent rendition of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, novelized by A. J. Hartly and David Hewson and narrated by the resonant Richard Armitage. I’m still hearing it in my head a day after finishing, maybe I need to start it over!

I count myself among the fans of the Bard, but I’ll be honest, I have a hard time understanding what is happening just by reading the plays, and often have to watch them acted out before I get on board with the action, so I was very interested to listen to this version. This was much easier for me to follow, and while I know there were differences to the original (and some discussion at the end about whose the original even was) they were intended and added to the flow of the story. I was especially intrigued by the treatment of Yorick, who is one of the most famous bit parts ever! Poor guy doesn’t even get to appear in the flesh or have a line, but everyone knows who he is. It just isn’t Hamlet without him.

It is dark and full of madness, some of it feigned, some of it perhaps not, and with Armitage’s wonderful voice to bring it to life it was a production I highly recommend!


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Cloud of Sparrows by Takashi Matsuoka

Cloud of Sparrows by Takashi Matsuoka
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cloud of Sparrows is a study of the contradictory nature of the Samurai in a time when their world was inexorably moving forward. They are ruthless killers, incited to decapitate a foe over insulting words, but are also moved to tears by the nuance of a gesture, or a perceived boon found in what was not said, or not done to spare feelings and perception of a reputation. This brutal beauty is reflected on an individual as well as a cultural level, and it is into this passionate, yet rigidly structured society that Lord Genji ushers in foreign Christian missionaries, who become a catalyst for the events of the story.

Genji himself is a huge juxtaposition of ideas, welcoming the outsiders but at the same time not taking their religion seriously, even as he plans to assist them in setting up a mission location, he seems more fascinated and amused by a new toy, more interested in how it is unsettling his rivals than in their purpose for being there. He is the more forward thinking of the Great Lords, but also has difficulty letting go of some traditions and ingrained ideas, even as he recognizes they are outdated, and sometimes downright ridiculous. Coupled with the difficulties of navigating political waters, he also carries the burden of prescient visions, which often make no sense, but sometimes are all too clear.

Genji and Heiko, Matthew and Emily, Shigeru and even Genji’s loyal warriors and servants are all excellent characters who are tested to their limits throughout the course of the story. We learn the history of how the Americans came to be in Japan and see the Samurai way of life beginning to crumble under the press of time and traditions that cannot be sustained as the world moves in. It is by turns beautiful and violent, poignant and humorous, sensitive and senseless, and it was exactly what I wanted on my visit to this culture and time period.


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The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron

The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was deeply drawn into this amazing and secret world that Katherine found herself in. Almost immediately I became attached to Uncle Tully and his toys, and completely sympathetic to Katherine and her plight. The dark richness of the grand but decaying house and complex grounds, and the family secrets which came to light all gave vivid depth to the world. An interestingly set teen mystery with a gothic feel and a satisfying resolution, though with an open end that leads to a second book which I'm definitely looking forward to! I definitely recommend to the historical, steampunk, mystery fan.

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The Muse by Raine Miller

The Muse by Raine Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this through the Goodreads giveaways in exchange for an honest review.

I chose it because of the combination of historical romance and art that the synopsis promised, and also because one of the comments on it were from a fan of the Rothvale series, who really loved that series and was excited to have this backstory prequel.

I ultimately gave this a 4/5, but it was a struggle for me. It went very slowly to me until the last third of the book. Had I not felt that I needed to give a review of it, I might not have finished, but finish it I did, in tears, today at lunch time. I'm also now interested in the Rothvale series, which I realize is contemporary, but I think will be more full for me with this backstory to draw on.

There are some steamy sex scenes, which seem a little at odds with the formality of the characters to each other, but then I remind myself that culture is different now than it was then, and I need to stop comparing it to a married couple of today.

Graham and Imogene have both had a lot of tragedy in their lives, I always have a soft spot for damaged heroes, and there is plenty of that here. His fears of past events repeating themselves lead him to quite a bit of paranoia and heavy-handedness, while Imogene wants to live life to the fullest and know the truth of things, no matter how hurtful they are. Together they make a beautiful couple that are deeply in love, but sometimes deeply at odds as Graham tries to protect her from everything, and she stubbornly refuses to to play the docile lady for him.

An enjoyable read, and I'm looking forward to giving the Rothvale Legacy series a try.

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The Martian by Andy Weir

The Martian by Andy Weir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received this through Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

I kept hearing friends trying this one out and raving that it was wonderful, and I admit I was intrigued by the premise, so when I saw it available, I decided to give it a try. I was a little apprehensive that I would be bored by a one-man show, I haven't seen either of the movies that it were offered as a combo/comparison, Castaway and Apollo13, though I am aware of them. I had nothing to worry about!

I was drawn in right away, and found myself holding my breath to see how Mark would deal with his next challenge! The science was great, it was high enough level that I could follow it, even if it wasn't an idea I was already familiar with, it was explained and applied to a situation, which really helps me to understand what's going on. Mark is a great character, a definite Space MacGuyver, humorous and endearing, an easy guy to like. I had to be careful reading this one before bed because it was keeping me awake, I just had to see what happened next, it couldn't wait!

I can't recommend this one enough because I really think it makes Sci-Fi accessible to people who aren't usually into it, it's got more of a real world feel because it is our world, albeit the future, it all sounds very plausible. Well, okay, just the sheer volume of stuff that happens to him and that he's able to overcome is kind of over the top, but still! If I have any criticism, it's that it ended a little too abruptly for me, I would have liked just a bit more follow through on what came next, but overall, it was fantastic!

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As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride

As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I cannot say how much I loved listening to this. I was 14 when The Princess Bride came out, and it became one of the defining movies of my teen years. I've watched it I don't know how many times, quoted it endlessly with my friends then, and still do today. This movie touches people in a way no other can. It is so many things, a comedy, a fantasy adventure, and the ideal romance. It's the happy ending we all want. I've been itching to watch it again the whole time I've been listening.

What I dearly love about this book is the sheer love and delight towards the movie of everyone involved in making it. That really shines through and makes me so happy that the people who made one of my favorite movies share that love with me. It wasn't just another project they worked on, it was something incredibly special.

I could listen to Cary Elwes speak all day! Well, I sort of did or would have if I could have had that long uninterrupted! His delivery is perfect, joined by Rob Reiner and other cast members and combined with the stories from the making of the movie, fun facts, the actors real insecurities and downright fears, their personal struggles and camaraderie make this a book I will treasure. It adds an extra dimension to the story that makes it even more precious to me.

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Bout of Books 12.0!

Bout of Books 12.0 is here! I'm ready! Bring it on! No goals for me, just reading and having fun!

To join us, check out the Bout of Books Blog or click on the picture above!

Chat with us on Twitter at #boutofbooks, or on Facebook at Bout of Books.

Currently Reading:



Next Up:



Finished:

Doctor Who: Silhouette by Justin Richards

Doctor Who: Silhouette by Justin Richards

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was excited to see some Doctor Who books available on Blogging for Books, and was intrigued by the Carnival setting of Silhouette.

I have only seen the first episode of the Peter Capaldi season, but I think it was enough to give me a good feel for the characters.  A weak area of Silhouette is that it depends a little too much on the reader already knowing who Madame Vastra and Jenny are and doesn't explain their true relationship with each other.  Madame Vastra also doesn't seem to have much personality here, I would have liked to see her do a little more. Strax was very well done, and easily steals his scenes.  The Doctor seems very like what I remember from the show, sometimes sarcastic, sometimes crotchety, very much not interested in being detained (that's a funny scene, but no spoilers!).  Clara too seems true to form, though strangely missing from the cover.

The Carnival of Curiosities is an intriguing backdrop to the mystery to be solved, and I enjoyed how the performers talents were utilized.  To say a lot more would be too much and make it less enjoyable I think.  I was in the mood for a Doctor Who story, and this did fit the bill.  I think those not already into the show might find it a little flat, but fans will easily be able to fill in the gaps with their knowledge of the show and characters.

I give it a 4/5 based on Strax's character and the Victorian carnival setting.

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The Secret Journal of Ichabod Crane by Alex Irvine (Sleepy Hollow TV Tie In)

I enjoy Tom Mison's portrayal of Ichabod Crane on the TV show Sleepy Hollow, so when I saw that The Secret Journal of Ichabod Crane was available on Blogging for Books I was happy to give it a try! I hoped that a written version could live up to the personality that Tom has infused the character with, a noble, resourceful and intelligent man who is baffled by the modern day yet also intrigued with it. He is also very opinionated on the things that seem ridiculous to him, offering historical refutations on why those things make no sense. These diatribes are always a humorous highlight. Those characteristics are what interest me, and what would have to carry a book purported to be his journal.  I'm happy to report that it did this!

The Secret Journal... is a great review of the first season of the television show, as Ichabod relays the story of his awakening, meeting Abigail, and coming to understand that they are the two witnesses that must save the world from Moloch and the Four Horsemen.  It is also filled with interesting historical happenings that were going on in Ichabod's own time and of course all the asides on modern things that we've come to expect and love from him. The internet, cell phones, current fashion and clothing styles, cars, movies, all of these things he embraces or rejects to varying degrees and brings back to mind those funny moments in the show.  There are many "taped in" articles and other findings, drawings of maps and puzzles, and some explanations of different ciphers that may have been used at the time.  I can't speak to the validity of any of these historical facts and secret codes, it is a supernatural/fantasy show after all, but in the fantastic there is perhaps a grain of truth at times, and it fits in well with the story. His affection for Abbie and her sister and all their companions comes through, making him that much more real and human.

All in all, I feel that fans of the show will definitely enjoy this addition to the world of Sleepy Hollow, that recounts the first season from Ichabod's point of view without just being a retelling of what we've already seen.  The Secret Journal... would likely be confusing for those who have not watched the show, but may just be interesting enough to prompt them to give it a try, if for no other reason than to see our hero in action, in spite of (or maybe because of) his clothes and mores being hopelessly out of date!

The Dalai Lama's Cat by David Michie

The Dalai Lama's Cat is a sweet, gentle and humorous book that I truly enjoyed during a very difficult time, it was exactly what I needed. I adore the cover!  I've had a passing interest in the Dalai Lama, mostly just seeing snippets of wisdom here and there attributed to him, but would really never have thought about him having a pet, so even the title grabbed my attention.

HHC - His Holiness' Cat actually acquires many names in her tenure at Jokhang, not all of which she is amused by.  Saved from certain death as a tiny kitten, this is her story, told from her point of view of her time there, and how she grows and tries to apply the Dalai Lama's teachings to her life.  She is first and foremost a cat, however, and is subject to a cat's whims, follies and attitudes.  The result is a delightful and amusing story that weaves the occasional  Buddhist precept into it, leaving me more interested in the Dalai Lama and Buddhism than I was before.  It seems like such a gentle philosophy of life, and many of the ideas could be used as guiding principles, regardless of your beliefs.

I highly recommend The Dalai Lama's Cat to cat and all animal lovers of course. I always enjoy stories told from the animal's point of view. I would also encourage anyone who is curious about the religion to give this a try. It is a very beginning introduction by way of the setting and is very non-judgemental in the presentation of ideas. 

Dewey's 24 hour Read-a-thon October 2014 Edition

It's time for the Fall Edition of Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-thon! *throws confetti, shakes pompoms, puts on a tiara* This year I booked myself for a 5K before I knew when the Read-a-thon was, but that's okay, there is time before and after, and I'll be getting colorful with a friend, so it will be an awesome day!  I just couldn't skip a Dewey's! Good luck everyone!

Updates: (See what I'm reading at the bottom)

Wrapup - I actually ended up having a family emergency and never really got more read during the read-a-thon, but thank you to everyone that commented, and I hope to see you all in April!

11:00 am - Done with Foundation, it was a quick prequel to the Enclave series, and time to head to the races!  I will be out until this evening, so I hope everyone enjoys their day and I'll see you later!  Next up, The Dalai Lama's Cat.

9:00 am - first read done!  I really enjoyed Silent Blade and highly recommend it!  Next up Foundation by Ann Aguirre another fantastic author, her Sirantha Jax series is one of my all time favorites!  Also time to start getting ready for the day!


7:00 am - Good morning everyone! My cat Fergus wanted to make sure I didn't miss the read-a-thon (he wanted to eat), so he kindly woke me up 15 minutes before my alarm went off!  I'm going to start off with Silent Blade by Ilona Andrews and see if I can finish it up before needing to get ready for my Color Run 5K today.

Opening Meme:
1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? Kansas, USA

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? I've got a bunch of novellas ready to work through today, but I have one called the Dalai Lama's Cat that I'm interested to get into.  I've also got Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to read, season appropriate, and I've never read it before.
 
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?  I think we're going out for fish and chips after our 5K so I'm definitely looking forward to that, but I may need to secure myself something decadent for later tonight!  A chocolate, peanut butter, Butterfinger concrete sounds pretty good!
 
4) Tell us a little something about yourself!  I started doing the Read-a-thon in April of 2010, so that makes this my tenth one!  *throws more confetti* I have 3 cats, several giant fish (goldfish/shubunkens) and a very tolerant husband who is amused by my bookish insanity. I am on the board of my company's employee funded charity foundation, and was able to bring in our local library foundation to them for some funding.  Did I mention I love books?  Yeah, I kinda do. ;)

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?  As I realized in the last question, this is my tenth time for the read-a-thon, so I've done a few different things, one of the ones I'd recommend, if you haven't ever been awake at the end of the read-a-thon, trying getting some sleep in the middle so you can be awake at the end at least once, because it feels really awesome to be there at that finish line, but not so special to feel exhausted the rest of the day!  Get up at least an hour maybe two before the end, then you can go back to sleep when it's over! ;)

Alrighty, back to reading, trying to knock out Silent Blade before it's time to get read for the 5K!


Currently Reading:



Finished:

Wonderfully Wicked Read-a-thon - October 17-27th, 2014

October is a super busy month for me, but that doesn't mean I can't squeeze in four more read-a-thons. Yes, I said 4. Quatro.  Dewey's 24-hour Read-a-thon is October 18th, and then two more take place in other reading groups I'm a part of in Bookobsessed and Bookcrossing.  All between October 17th and November 4th! The first of these is the Wonderfully Wicked Read-a-thon hosted by our friends at My Shelf Confessions from October 17th -27th.  Head on over there to see what all they have planned and sign up to join us!  We'll be using #WWReadathon to chat on Twitter. Let's get some TBR's knocked out, shall we?

Currently Reading:



Finished:



That's it for this time around! Thanks to our hostesses! I'm looking forward to the next one!

Sleepy Hollow: Children of the Revolution by Keith R.A. DeCandido

Sleepy Hollow: Children of the Revolution by Keith R.A. DeCandido
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was excited to find out I had won this through Goodreads Giveaways, I enjoyed the first season of the show and was interested to see how a novel would compare.

I was pleased at how the author portrayed Ichabod's personality because that is the highlight of the show for me, how he deals with the modern day. I wasn't disappointed, he continues to be thoroughly confused and frustrated by how we do things, why we've named them what they are, and delights in informing Abbie and the crew of their misinformation. He is somehow endearingly arrogant, noble, sarcastic and witty, and that's why we love him.

The plot was also interesting, bringing in many historical facts (and fictions) which is the other draw to the show for me. I always like it when the author details at the end which portions of the story are historical fact and which were added for the story.

It was a good supernatural, historically based story and I would definitely recommend it to fans of the show. Those who have not watched it may be somewhat confused or not as drawn in without that background information as a starting basis, but that's to be expected in a tie in novel.


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Seriously Series - 3rd Quarter Check-in

It's time for the 3rd quarter Seriously Series Check-in!  Let's see how I'm doing. 

Declared Levels:
Series Started Before 2014: Seriously Spectacular Series Star - 2nd level achieved "Seriously Serious"
Series Started in 2014: Semi-Serious  - not even sorta serious at this point.
Series Re-Reads in 2014: Semi-Serious - 100% Done!

Books since last check in - 8 - I really thought I'd done more than that!
Series since last check in - 4

So how am I doing total series and total book wise?

Total Series 12/22 = 55% 
Total Books 26/44 = 59%


It's pretty clear I'm behind, and I thought about paring my list down, but I kind of felt like that was cheating, so I'll just keep going and see how far I get. Anything is more read than I had before I started, so I win no matter what!

Into the Home Stretch!

Here are my 8 from this check-in: